1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector used for electrically connecting an integrated circuit (IC) module, such as a central processing unit (CPU), to a circuit substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computer systems increase in performance and complexity at a very rapid pace, driven by intense competition and market demands. A CPU is generally mounted to a PCB via an electrical connector, such as a CPU socket, for replacing a new CPU when the original CPU is spoiled.
A typical such electrical connector 90 is shown in FIG. 7. The conventional electrical connector 90 comprises an insulative housing 60 and a plurality of conductive terminals 70 accommodated in the housing 60. The housing 60 defines an upper surface 61, a bottom surface 62, and a plurality of passageways 63 communicating the upper surface 61 and the bottom surface 62. Each of the passageways 63 receives a terminal 70 therein. Each of the terminals 70 comprises a contacting portion 71 extending above the upper surface 61, a medial portion 72 fastened in the corresponding passageway 63, and a soldering portion 73 extending below the bottom surface 62. The medial portion 72 defines a pair of wings 720 extending toward the soldering portion 73. The two wings 720 of each terminal 70 are used for cooperating with a tool 80 (referring to FIGS. 8–9) for installing the corresponding terminal 70 into the passageway 63 of the housing 60. In the conventional connector 90, distal ends of wings 720 are coplanar with the bottom surface 62 of the housing.
FIGS. 8–9 illustrate an installing process of the terminal 70. The soldering portions 73 of the terminals 70 are located in recesses 81 of a tool 80, and the wings 720 abut against a top surface of the tool 80. The tool 80 is then pushed toward the housing 60, and the terminals 70 are accordingly inserted into the passageways 63 along a direction from the bottom surface 62 to the upper surface 61. The installing process of the terminals 70 is completed when the top surface of the tool 80 contacts with the bottom surface 62 of the housing 60. As a result, the distal ends of the wings are coplanar with the bottom surface 62 of the housing 60.
In order to obtain reliable electrical connection with the CPU, all the contacting portions 71 are required to be configured in the same level, i.e., distal ends of all the contacting portions 71 are configured in one plane. However, it is too difficult to configure all the distal ends of the contacting portions in one plane, because current manufacturing precision is not enough. After the terminals 70 are installed in the passageways 63, it is difficult to adjust the warp because there's no operating portion for the tool 80 to act on. The only two portions, which can be acted by the tool, are soldering portions 73 and contacting portions 71. However, the two portions are easy to be inflected. In this case, the conventional connector cannot provide reliable and fine electrical connection as a medium between the CPU and the PCB.
Hence, a new electrical connector and a new manufacturing method are desired to overcome the above-described disadvantages.